4 


9 


THE  THERAPEUTIC  USE  OF  A HOSPITAL  LIBRARY* 

ELIZABETH  GREEN 
Librarian  Barnes  Hospital 

SIDNEY  I.  SCHWAB,  M.D. 

Professor  of  Clinical  Neurology  and  Neurologist  to  Barnes  Hospital 
St.  Louis,  Missouri 

The  broadening  scope  of  the  meaning  of  therapy  may  be  seen 
from  the  many  things  that  are  used  at  the  present  time  in  further- 
ing the  recovery  of  a patient  in  a hospital. 

The  possibility  of  using  a hospital  library  as  a direct  therapeutic 
agency  is  not  particularly  new.  In  practically  every  hospital  of  any 
size  there  has  always  been  collections  of  books  which  were  placed  at 
the  disposal  of  patients  of  all  sorts.  It  is  perhaps  a somewhat  new 
notion,  however,  to  make  a more  definite  and  positively  planned  use 
of  books,  and  it  is  with  this  idea  in  mind  that  we  have  planned  this 
paper. 

It  has  been  said  by  someone  who,  no  doubt,  had  enjoyed  a pleas- 
ant convalescence,  that  sickness  should  be  regarded  as  an  experience 
from  which  direct  advantage  might  be  obtained.  Perhaps  sickness 
might  be  thought  of  as  an  opportunity  from  which,  under  proper 
circumstances,  the  patient  might  obtain  an  increase  in  his  personal- 
ity asset. 

A patient  leaves  a hospital  with  three  possibilities  before  him  as 
a result  of  his  stay  there.  He  may  go  out  handicapped  more  seri- 
ously than  when  he  entered;  he  may  leave  unchanged;  or  he  may 
leave  a more  efficient  individual  than  upon  entrance.  In  all  three  in- 
stances therapy  in  its  broader  conception  has  something  to  offer  quite 
apart  from  its  application  to  the  particular  disease  in  question. 

It  is  to  meet  a phase  of  this  broader  therapeutic  notion  that  hospi- 
tal libraries  have  found  a place.  That  this  place  is  not  a very  large 
or  important  one  at  the  present  time  does  not  detract  from  its  signifi- 


*Printed  in  August  1919  issue  of  The  Hospital  Social  Service  Quarterly. 


2 


The  Therapeutic  Use  of  a Hospital  Library 

canoe  nor  does  it  exclude  the  use  of  books  from  the  same  kind  of 
therapeutic  analysis  that  would  be  directed  to  the  more  tangible  cura- 
tive procedures. 

Whatever  else  may  be  said  of  sickness  it  is  after  all  a very  per- 
sonal thing  and  to  each  sick  patient  disease  has  a particular  touch  of 
ownership  or  possession.  A sick  person  is  quite  a different  thing 
from  a disease  entity,  and  it  is  to  the  sick  man  or  woman  that  a 
therapeutic  scheme  must  be  mainly  directed.  The  personality  of  a 
patient  sticks  out  of  the  picture  which  the  disease  process  overlays. 
Books  play  a varied  part  in  the  lives  of  people.  To  some,  and  per- 
haps the  greater  majority,  there  is  little  place  to  be  given  to  litera- 
ture; little  chance  for  its  exercise  and  influence.  To  the  few,  how- 
ever, there  is  no  more  vitally  directing  influence.  Of  course  the  pur- 
pose of  a hospital  library  is  not  to  be  confused  with  an  analysis  of 
literature  as  a proper  expression  of  an  experience  with  life  or  as  an 
aspect  of  truth  arising  out  of  it,  but  rather  as  a means  toward  the 
restitution  to  the  normal  of  a particular  individual  who  may  be  handi- 
capped permanently  or  temporarily  by  sickness.  Due  to  this  he  finds 
himself  in  a hospital  separated  from  his  usual  surroundings  and  his 
usual  activities.  It  is  in  this  period  of  enforced  leisure  when  mental 
activity  of  the  usual  kind  is  necessarily  impossible  that  there  is  found 
the  proper  receptivity  for  the  cultivation  of  an  interest  in  reading,  if 
none  existed  before,  or  of  intensifying  that  which  was  already  pres- 
ent. The  long  convalescent  hours  and  uncomfortable  periods  when 
the  disease  is  registering  its  presence  by  the  emphasis  on  painful 
sensations,  the  periods  when  the  future  is  obscured  by  contemplation 
of  the  present  handicapping  events  furnish  opportunity  for  the  use 
of  all  kinds  of  extra  medical  efforts  to  mitigate  the  weight  of  the 
present  distress.  To  pass  the  time  pleasantly  and  quickly  is  surely  a 
contribution  to  personal  comfort  and  if  reading  does  that  then  the 
place  of  a hospital  library  has  made  itself  permanent.  This  is  merely 
the  general  view  and  there  has  never  been  a lack  of  appreciation  for 
the  use  of  books  or  reading  matter  in  this  sense.  It  is,  however,  with 
the  more  precise  application  of  books  that  we  are  here  concerned ; 
rather  with  the  attempt  to  find  for  books  a more  or  less  specific  indi- 
cation in  the  treatment  of  disease  and  to  write  so  to  speak  book  pre- 


/&TO&H 


01. 7.  63 
6L  8 T-i  t: 


REMOTE  SI' GfVt&S 

Elizabeth  Green  — Sidney  I.  Schwab,  M.D.  3 

scriptions  in  the  same  authentic  way  that  is  done  in  the  general  run  of 
treatment  given  to  patients  in  a hospital  ward. 

It  is  obvious  that  the  selection  of  books  in  a planned  therapy 
cannot  be  directed  with  too  much  specific  aim.  The  less  rigid  selec- 
tion happens  to  be,  the  more  beneficial  will  the  application  be  found. 

The  classification  of  books  must  be  based  then  not  on  literary 
value  but  on  the  purpose  for  which  it  is  to  be  used.  From  the  point 
of  view  of  the  patient,  books  as  a whole  may  be  divided  into  four 
groups.  One  group  would  be  frankly  selected  with  the  idea  of  inter- 
esting the  patient  to  such  an  extent  that  the  long  hours  of  conva- 
lescence or  preparation  might  be  gone  through  with  as  quickly  as  and 
as  easily  as  possible.  A second  group  might  be  based  upon  the  capac- 
ity of  a book  to  train  the  patient’s  attention  and  concentration.  The 
third  group,  and  this  is  necessarily  the.  smallest,  might  be  concerned 
with  the  attempt  to  cultivate  in  the  patient  some  change  or  alteration 
of  his  point  of  view  and  to  arouse  in  him  a stimulus  toward  a fresh 
grip  on  the  personal  situation  which  confronts  him,  and  which  is 
represented  by  the  symptoms  which  he  presents.  The  fourth  group 
would  be  frankly  educational  and  instructive.  The  aim  of  this  group 
would  be  to  add  something  to  the  personal  asset  of  the  patient,  some- 
thing that  might  aid  him  in  his  after-hospital  life  and  to  awaken  in 
him,  if  possible,  an  appreciation  and  the  liking  for  good  literature. 

Of  course,  it  is  readily  understood  that  nothing  very  ambitious 
can  be  hoped  for  in  this  sort  of  classification,  especially  in  the  last 
group ; but  every  now  and  then  some  bit  of  stimulus  is  given  to  a 
patient  which  later  may  be  productive  of  unexpected  and  unhoped 
results. 

The  selection  of  the  book  in  any  group  depends  upon  a knowledge 
of  the  individual  and  the  personal  predilection  of  the  selector — 
which  in  many  instances  would  be  the  librarian  of  the  hospital.  Her 
own  particular  taste  would  largely  govern  the  selection.  Then,  too, 
one  might  be  influenced  very  largely  by  one’s  own  personal  experi- 
ence. Looking  back  over  one’s  adventures  in  reading,  there  would 
readily  come  to  mind  books  which  have  had  a peculiar  influence  on 
the  ways  of  thinking  about  things.  Books  to  change  people’s  atti- 


4 


The  Therapeutic  Use  of  a Hospital  Library 


tude  to  the  problems  of  a day’s  life  and  their  influence  is  often  not 
entirely  as  intangible  as  is  commonly  supposed. 

To  illustrate — there  is  no  doubt  that  the  vogue  of  Kipling,  some 
years  ago,  did  have  a marked  influence  on  the  development  of  many 
a youthful  enthusiast.  The  crisp  phrasing  of  expression,  the  easily 
appreciated  appeal  to  an  upstanding  type  of  conduct,  the  simple 
notion  of  courage,  candor,  loyalty  and  humor  are  traceable  in  many 
a life  to  whom  the  early  fascination  of  his  stories  has  long  since 
disappeared.  The  Rooseveltian  literature  carried  many  a boy,  tem- 
porarily perhaps,  over  a difficult  situation.  The  mysterious  effect  of 
an  apt  phrase  influenced  conduct  in  a way  hardly  to  be  measured  at 
the  present  time.  No  lover  of  Conrad  but  would  admit  that  his 
tales  do  not  cease  when  the  cover  is  closed,  and  to  no  honest  reader 
will  Lord  Jim  be  remembered  only  as  a story  of  adventure.  The 
poems  of  Henley,  especially  in  the  hospital  series,  have  a peculiarly 
definite  influence  on  the  sick  patient  awaiting  the  supreme  test  of 
courage  for  the  thing  that  is  before  him.  Even  if  perhaps  there  is 
a touch  of  the  gruesome,  particularly  about  the  poems  of  the  ward 
and  operating  room,  there  is  here  a touch  of  reality,  the  facing  of  the 
immediate  thing  and  the  adjustment  to  that  thing  which  is  by  far  the 
best  mental  preparation  for  going  through  any  kind  of  hospital  emer- 
gency. Stevenson  might  well  be  the  pleasant  companion  of  every 
invalid,  of  every  dweller  in  a hospital,  particularly  so  if  his  romantic 
struggle  against  tuberculosis  be  brought  to  his  attention. 

These  are  mentioned  merely  as  an  illustration  to  point  out  that 
there  is  a chance  for  a very  definite  selection  of  books,  aiming  to 
implant  in  a patient’s  mind  some  particular  thing  which  he  may  at 
that  moment  lack  or  perhaps  may  arouse  in  him  the  incentive  to 
develop  the  necessary  attitude  in  regard  to  his  own  problem. 

There  is  no  way  by  which  the  influence  of  books  as  indicated  in 
this  way  can  be  measured.  It  is  possible  that  the  influence  of  reading 
even  one’s  favorite  authors  may  be  evanescent,  particularly  so  in 
cases  of  the  severely  ill  and  in  nervous  patients,  or  to  one  to  whom 
the  stay  in  the  hospital  is  a dreary  and  dull  experience.  It  is  more 
likely,  however,  that  something  remains  behind — some  small  thera- 
peutic effect  too  subtle  for  analysis  and  often  too  intangible  to  record. 


Elizabeth  Green — Sidney  I.  Schwab,  M.D. 


5 


Such  books  as  are  planned  to  make  the  time  pass  more  quickly 
are  those  that  have  the  capacity  of  fixing  the  attention  or  claiming  the 
interest  of  the  patient  by  the  passing  story.  Here  again  the  selection 
is  to  be  governed  by  a study  of  the  individual,  his  capacity  to  appre- 
ciate a tale  and  its  setting  and  his  response  to  the  narrative  form  of 
writing.  Here  we  are  on  more  secure  ground,  but  fortunately  there 
are  very  few  to  whom  a story  does  not  exercise  its  own  influence.  A 
taste  for  good  literature  is  more  wide  spread  than  is  commonly  sup- 
posed, and  it  is  not  necessary  to  depart  from  what  is  acknowledged 
to  be  good  literature  even  for  one  whose  acquaintance  with  good 
books  may  have  been  slight. 

A certain  standard  of  taste  should  be  insisted  upon  in  the  hospital 
library,  and  no  book  should  be  prescribed  that  is  not  a good  book. 
Books  with  a more  strictly  educational  value  in  the  narrow  sense  of 
the  term  as  used  in  contrast  to  the  others,  are  such  as  might  awaken 
an  interest  in  some  subject  dormant  in  a patient’s  mind,  or  stimulate 
into  a wide  application  some  taste  or  experience  already  present. 
The  application  of  this  group  is  probably  a narrow  one,  and  is  men- 
tioned merely  as  a possibility. 

In  a hospital  in  which  the  over-turn  of  patients  is  so  rapid  as  at 
the  Barnes,  it  is  impossible  to  dwell  very  much  on  the  educational 
side  of  reading.  Perhaps  here  even  a taste  might  be  awakened  for 
the  better  things  in  books  by  even  a short  experience  with  good 
literature,  or  even  the  beginning  of  notions  of  future  education  may 
be  brought  about  by  a glimpse  of  training  and  application. 

This  very  briefly  is  an  outline  of  the  therapeutic  possibilities  of 
a hospital  library  to  be  used  in  the  actual  test  of  the  ward. 

The  Barnes  Hospital  library  started  a little  more  than  four  years 
ago,  in  response  to  a very  urgent  need,  as  our  location,  selected  for 
quiet  and  fresh  air,  isolated  us  from  library  centers.  Early  in  1915, 
it  became  evident  we  were  starving  for  reading  matter,  and  unless 
we  had  a library  of  our  own  our  resources  for  filling  that  need  were 
too  limited.  To  make  a start  we  needed  a collection  of  books,  shelves 
on  which  to  place  them,  and  someone  to  supervise.  These,  demands 
were  met  by  a loan  of  75  books  from  the  traveling  library  depart- 
ment of  the  St.  Louis  Public  Library,  extra  bookshelves  in  the  Rec- 


6 


The  Therapeutic  Use  of  a Hospital  Library 


ord  Room  and  the  Record  Department  force  to  see  that  the  books 
were  properly  issued. 

There  is  nothing  so  easy  to  acquire  as  books.  Who  has  not 
gone  through  the  experience  some  time  in  their  lives,  of  finding  all 
bookcases  full,  and  books  piling  up  on  every  available  flat  surface. 
When  it  became  known  that  the  Barnes  Hospital  was  starting  a 
library,  there  was  an  immediate  response  and  the  little  collection 
grew  until  now  it  is  limited  by  the  shelving  capacity  to  about  1,200 
volumes,  which  are  sufficient  for  our  needs. 

Very  often  among  the  worn-out  books  are  some  that  we  value 
most  and  these  we  give  to  the  Public  Library  and  it  in  turn  has  them 
rebound  in  its  bindery  and  sends  them  back  to  us  as  a loan.  In  this 
way  we  keep  up  the  repair  of  our  library  and  at  the  same  time  pro- 
long the  lives  of  our  most  useful  books,  without  cost  to  the  hospital. 

It  is  important  to  place  your  library  where  it  will  be  supervised 
intelligently,  and  where  you  can  lock  it  up  after  hours.  It  is  inter- 
esting to  keep  a record  of  the  issue  of  books.  Our  monthly  report 
shows  how  many  volumes  of  fiction  and  non-fiction  we  have  issued 
and  to  what  type  of  reader;  as  an  example,  our  last  month’s  report 
shows  that  we  issued  247  volumes  of  fiction  and  5 of  non-fiction  to 
ward  patients,  while  we  issued  to  janitors,  non-fiction  only.  What 
at  the  first  glance  seems  to  be.  merely  statistical  and  of  no  impor- 
tance, sometimes  puts  you  in  touch  with  a very  human  need,  which 
is  of  benefit  to  both  the  individual  and  the  hospital.  We  try  to  keep 
in  touch  with  all  departments  of  work,  and  get  books,  where  they 
are  needed,  on  short  loans  from  our  local  libraries.  The  Nursing 
Department  for  instance  may  need  more  copies  of  the  History  of 
Nursing,  by  Nutting  and  Dock.  Word  comes  to  us  they  will  need 
Vol.  1 for  two  or  three  weeks  for  class  work,  can  we  borrow  it  on 
a short  loan.  The  housekeeper  finds  a spot  on  a marble  floor  which 
does  not  respond  to  her  efforts,  and  comes  to  our  library  for  help. 
The  laundry  has  a problem  and  the  library  is  sought  for  advice. 

We  issue  books  for  two  weeks,  and  in  order  to  get  them  back 
promptly,  a fine  of  two  cents  a day  is  charged  for  those  overdue. 
This  rule  does  not  apply  to  patients,  who  for  the  most  part  are  un- 
able to  come  to  the  library  and  are  dependent  on  others  to  see  that 
the  books  are  returned. 


Elizabeth  Green — Sidney  I.  Schwab,  M.D. 


7 


In  order  to  make  the  library  available  to  bed  patients,  volunteer 
workers  come  at  stated  times,  gather  up  a load  of  books  in  what 
was  once  a tea-cart  (turned  into  a booktruck  by  the  addition  of  a 
rail),  by  means  of  which  some  forty  books  may  be  wheeled  to  a 
patient’s  bedside,  offering  a sufficient  variety  to  suit  most  tastes.  The 
social  service  this  visit  accomplishes  is  of  real  value,  and  the  book 
is  such  a good  excuse  for  approaching  a patient.  The  assurance  to 
the  patient,  that  there  is  some  interest  beside  a coldly  scientific  one, 
is  given  when  a person  other  than  a doctor  or  nurse,  in  stiffly  starched 
uniform,  comes  to  him  with  books,  to  see.  if  reading  would  not  help  to 
while  away  the  tedium  of  a hospital  experience.  It  stimulates  the 
patient  to  know  that  his  contentment  and  happiness  are  being  con- 
sidered, and  certainly  the  relation  of  trust  and  confidence  established 
by  caring  for  the  homely  things  of  every  day  life  are  of  value  to 
doctor,  nurse  and  hospital,  and  therefore  to  the  patient.  It  is  easy 
and  natural,  once  a trust  in  your  interest  is  attained,  to  get  at  infor- 
mation that  might  seem  intrusive,  unless  a mutual  ground  of  under- 
standing had  not  been  established.  It  is  most  interesting  to  see  how 
a taste  for  reading  may  be  developed.  One  of  our  workers  tells 
of  a man  who  met  her  approach  with  suspicion.  She  asked  him  if 
he  liked  to  read  and  received  a gruff  reply.  After  assuring  him 
there  was  no  charge,  and  that  he  was  under  no  obligation  to  read 
even  if  he  took  a book,  she  managed  to  leave  one  with  him.  When 
the  next  distribution  day  came,  this  same  man  brightened  up  when 
the  worker  came  to  him,  took  another  book,  and  as  the  weeks  went 
on  read  more  and  better  things.  Isn’t  there  possibly  a social  ser- 
vice through  cultivating  a taste  for  reading  that  will  prove  a pleasure 
and  benefit  to  this  man  always,  that  may  be  laid  to  the  door  of 
our  hospital  library? 

New  vistas  are  constantly  opening  in  what  your  library  can  do 
for  your  hospital.  It  is  a matter  of  more  than  passing  interest  to 
your  doctor  to  have  the  right  books  given  to  his  patients,  and  many 
and  varied  problems  are  presented  to  the  librarian,  for  what  is  a 
wholesome  literary  diet  for  one  patient,  might  be  very  unwhole- 
some for  the  next.  If  your  doctors  will  work  with  you,  much  can 
be  accomplished. 


8 


The  Therapeutic  Use  of  a Hospital  Library 


Let  us  mention  some  diseases  where  book  therapy  is  beneficial ; 
for  instance,  patients  with  Exophthalmic  Goitre,  who  must  not  be 
excited  owing  to  rapid  hearts,  and  who  are  depressed  and  worried 
over  their  condition.  These  patients  should  have  books  that  inter- 
est, keep  their  minds  away  from  themselves,  and  yet  are  not  suffi- 
ciently exciting  to  intensify  their  symptoms.  Patients  with  frac- 
tures for  the  most  part  need  all  the  absorbing  books  you  can  give 
them  to  while  away  the  weary  days  while  bones  are  knitting.  Ortho- 
pedic cases  can  read  anything  that  interests  them,  but  care  should 
be  exercised  that  the  patient  on  a Bradford  frame  has  books  chosen 
with  regard  to  his  position  in  bed.  Such  a patient  should  be  given 
a light  weight  book  with  large  print,  for  you  can  readily  contribute 
to  his  fatigue  if  you  give  him  a heavy  one,  and  add  the  discomfort 
of  a headache  through  eyestrain  caused  by  the  effect  of  small  type 
on  shiny  paper. 

It  is  an  excellent  plan  to  have  foreign  languages  represented  in 
your  library.  Study  the.  nationality  of  the  patients  that  come  to 
your  hospital  and  see  that  you  have  two  or  three  books  at  least  to 
offer  the  person  who  comes  to  you  sick  and  without  friends,  and 
with  practically  no  English.  It  means  more  than  is  generally  appre- 
ciated to  give  a patient  a book  in  his  own  tongue.  How  quickly  it 
establishes  confidence,  for,  through  this  homely  act,  the  hospital 
expresses  concern  in  his  contentment  and  happiness.  In  such  cases 
it  seems  to  wipe  away  some  of  the  loneliness  of  the  situation  and  the 
friendly  act  often  makes  subsequent  examinations  and  treatments, 
that  through  the  lack  of  a mutual  tongue  are  impossible  to  explain, 
accepted  without  question. 

A short  time  ago  word  came  that  one  patient  had  exhausted  our 
Yiddish  collection,  and  a telephone  message  to  the  Public  Library 
brought  four  books  the  next  day.  When  the  patient  saw  that  her 
request  had  brought  an  immediate  response,  her  face  fairly  radiated 
pleasure,  for  she  had  just  been  struggling  with  an  English  story. 

An  annotated  list  called  Five  Hundred  Books  for  Hospital 
Patients,  by  Margery  Doud  of  the  St.  Louis  Public  Library,  will 
soon  be  available.  The  value  to  the  librarian  of  having  a brief 
outline  of  subject  matter  assists  enormously  in  selecting  the  book 


Elizabeth  Green — Sidney  I.  Schwab,  M.D. 


9 


most  helpful  to  the  patient  who  is  receiving  book  therapy,  and  this 
list  should  prove  of  importance  to  all  hospital  libraries.  There  is 
another  field  for  the  hospital  library,  quite  aside  from  the  patients, 
that  can  not  be  overestimated  in  its  social  service,  that  is  the  working 
personnel  of  the  hospital,  the  doctors,  nurses,  clerical  force,  cooks, 
janitors,  etc.,  who  directly  or  indirectly  serve  the  patient.  In  this 
group  you  have  every  age,  sort  and  condition,  from  the  boy  and  girl 
who  have  just  got  their  working  papers,  to  the  old  man  who  runs 
an  electric  elevator.  Everyone  can  come  to  the  library  in  off  time 
and  select  a book.  Everyone  has  equal  privileges.  Everyone  can 
have  a book  for  two  weeks  and  understand  that  it  must  be  returned 
on  the  day  it  is  due,  or  that  the  fine  of  two  cents  a day  that  helps 
us  to  get  our  books  back,  must  be  paid  into  the  library.  It  is  also 
known  that  if  anyone  wants  to  study,  we  will  try  to  get  books  for 
that  purpose.  We  advertised  our  library  not  long  ago  by  a notice 
posted  on  the  time-clock.  At  once  there  were  two  requests  for 
books  on  special  subjects.  One  man  wanted  elementary  books  on 
electricity,  the  other  a history  of  the  Congregational  Church.  The 
first  man’s  demands  were  easily  met,  but  the  second  man’s  thirst  for 
knowledge  had  to  be  condensed  to  the  size  of  a pamphlet  published  by 
one  of  our  churches.  The  prompt  response  to  his  request  estab- 
lished his  relation  and  interest,  and  since  then  we  have  been  able 
to  provide  him  constantly  with  something  to  read  when  he  has 
finished  his  day  of  mopping  floors,  and  he  has  offered  suggestions 
for  certain  additions  to  our  collection  which  were  very  welcome. 
This  same  man  also  became  the  channel  of  providing  a patient  with 
a textbook.  This  patient,  a young  man,  was  with  us  a number  of 
weeks  and  here  was  the  leisure  for  studying  geometry,  and  our 
janitor  discovered  his  need  and  saw  that  it  was  supplied. 

To  our  amazement  the  first  request  from  the  laundry  came 
from  a young  girl  who  wanted  Fairy  Tales.  After  all,  it  is  natural 
to  want  to  get  away  from  the  grind  of  a day’s  work,  and  what  could 
ca'rry  you  farther  afield  from  laundry  machinery,  soapsuds  and 
starch  than  Fairy  Tales.  We  found  that  this  Fairy  Tale  craving  was 
not  confine^fo  our  first  young  friend,  and  there  has  been  a constant 
demand^  ever  since.  We  now  have  some  dozen  volumes  on  our 
shelves,  and  there  are  always  several  in  circulation. 


10  The  Therapeutic  Use  of  a Hospital  Library 

In  the  early  days  of  our  library  when  it  was  very  small,  there 
were  two  14-year  old  boys  employed  as  pages  in  the  out-patient 
department,  who  proved  very  active  readers.  These  boys  were  so 
anxious  to  read  that  they  would  come  to  the  library  and  help  paste 
in  pockets,  in  order  to  put  the  new  books  into  circulation.  They  felt 
the  library  was  theirs,  and  as  new  pages  came  they  were  brought 
in,  introduced  and  provided  with  stories.  In  time  these  boys  took 
jobs  elsewhere,  but  I was  lucky  enough  to  get  a glimpse  of  how  truly 
one  boy  had  enjoyed  the  library,  when  he  came  to  call  one  Saturday 
afternoon  three  years  later.  As  we  looked  over  the  books  together 
he  pointed  out  those  he  had  read  and  told  me  with  great  pride,  that 
he  now  used  the  Public  Library.  After  he  had  gone  it  occurred 
to  me  he  might  like  some  printed  lists  of  good  books,  so  I sent  them 
with  a note.  In  reply  he  expressed  his  delight  in  having  them  and 
said,  “I  have  read  very  few  of  those  listed,  and  I sure  will  read  the 
balance.”  Hasn’t  our  little  library  done  something  for  that  boy  that 
will  be  a help  always,  in  giving  him  the  chance  to  browse  among 
good  books  and  create  a taste  for  reading?  We  believe  that  it  has 
and  we  also  believe  that  having  a library  in  a hospital,  which  of  neces- 
sity is  a place  of  military  discipline,  rank  and  grade,  is  distinctly 
worth  while,  for  it  gives  one  common  meeting-ground  in  interest  for 
all  grades,  provides  one  place  where  there  are  equal  benefits,  and 
through  its  democratic  possibilities  brings  the  esprit  de  corps  that  is 
so  necessary. 


